End cap for dispensing and spraying liquid pharmaceutical products

ABSTRACT

An endpiece for dispensing liquid pharmaceuticals contained in a receptacle, the endpiece being of the type comprising a tubular element ( 1 ) provided at a free first end ( 1   a ) with a spray nozzle ( 3 ) and at its second end ( 1   b ) with a rotary coupling ( 11 ) providing a connection with the internal delivery duct ( 20 ) of a pushbutton ( 2 ) for fitting onto the top of a tapping member mounted on said receptacle, said rotary coupling ( 11 ) being constituted by a core having a cylindrical cavity ( 21 ) fitted to said pushbutton ( 2 ) in communication with the internal delivery duct ( 20 ) and in which the second end ( 1   b ) of the tubular element ( 1 ) is engaged in touching and rotary manner, which second end is provided with means for opening said duct ( 20 ), the endpiece being characterized in that said cylindrical cavity ( 21 ) contains an axial rod ( 22 ) secured to the pushbutton ( 2 ) for being engaged inside the second end ( 1   b ) of said tubular element ( 1 ) while leaving an intermediate space ( 21   c ) through which the pharmaceutical is transferred.

The present invention relates to an endpiece for dispensing and sprayingliquid pharmaceuticals.

More particularly, the invention applies to an endpiece of the typecomprising a tubular element provided at a free first end with a spraynozzle and at its second end with a rotary coupling connecting it withthe internal delivery duct of a pushbutton for fitting on the top of theoutlet tube of a tapping member mounted on said receptacle.

Unfortunately, such endpieces do not provide a closed position, therebygiving rise to a risk of accidental spraying and thus of liquid flowingout in untimely manner.

An object of the present invention is to solve that technical problem ineffective manner.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of anendpiece of the above type in which the rotary coupling is constitutedby a core having a cylindrical cavity fitted to said pushbutton incommunication with the internal delivery duct, and in which the secondend of the tubular member is engaged in touching and rotary manner,which second end is provided with means for opening said duct.

In a particular embodiment, said cylindrical cavity contains an axialrod secured to the pushbutton for being engaged inside the second end ofsaid tubular element while leaving an intermediate space through whichthe pharmaceutical is transferred.

According to an advantageous characteristic, said internal delivery ductopens out laterally into said cavity via an ejection orifice.

Preferably, the tubular element and the pushbutton comprisesnap-fastening members suitable for co-operating releasbly to positionthe second end in an angular position in which it closes the deliveryduct.

In another embodiment, said cavity is defined by the wall of acylindrical spout projecting from the side wall of the pushbutton.

In a variant, the wall of said spout carries a peripheral ring forco-operating by snap-fastening in a groove of complementary profileformed in the wall of the tubular element to ensure that the second endof the tubular element is properly positioned and held in said cavity.

In another variant, the second end of the tubular element is providedwith an outer coaxial sleeve defining an intermediate space in which thecylindrical spout of the pushbutton is received.

In yet another embodiment, said means for opening the delivery duct isconstituted by a discontinuity in the wall of the second endpiece of thetubular element leaving a lateral passage for the liquid pharmaceutical.

In a first variant, said discontinuity is in the form of a gap formedover an angular fraction of the wall of the tubular element.

In another variant, said discontinuity is in the form of a reduction inwall thickness formed over an angular fraction of the wall of thetubular element.

According to another characteristic, said tubular element possesses anintermediate zone that is bent or articulated.

Preferably, a position in which the internal delivery duct is closedcorresponds to the first end of the tubular element being pointeddownwards.

According to another characteristic, the length of the tubular elementengaged in said cylindrical cavity is determined in such a manner as toleave an empty space between the end wall of said cavity and thelongitudinal edge of said second end.

The endpiece of the invention can be pointed in a wide variety of ways,thus making it easier to take medicine in various open positions thatare suitable for spraying.

In contrast, the endpiece preferably possesses a single lockable closedposition corresponding to the tubular element pointing downwards, thusmaking the packaging assembly (receptacle plus endpiece) as compact aspossible for storage.

The invention will be better understood on reading the followingdescription given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a section view of the endpiece of the invention in its closedposition;

FIG. 1B is a detail section view through the FIG. 1A endpiece;

FIG. 2A is a section view of the FIG. 1A endpiece in the open position;

FIG. 2B is a detail section view of the FIG. 1A endpiece in its FIG. 2Aposition; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are section views on AA showing two variant embodiments ofthe rotary coupling of the endpiece when in the closed position.

The endpiece shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A is intended more particularly fordispensing and spraying liquid and semi-liquid pharmaceuticals from areceptacle fitted with a tapping member and/or metering-out member suchas a pump or a valve (not shown). The packaging as a whole can contain acollutory preparation.

In conventional manner, the tapping member possesses an outlet tubewhose end is designed to be covered by a pushbutton 2 possessing aninternal duct 20 and presenting a top face 2 a for receiving fingerpressure.

The endpiece comprises a tubular element 1 that is of longer or shorterlength, provided at a free first end 1 a with a spray nozzle 3 and atits second end 1 b with a rotary coupling 11.

The coupling 11 provides hydraulic and mechanical connection between thetubular element 1 and the internal delivery duct 20 which extends theoutlet tube of the tapping member. The tubular element 1 can be rotatedabout the coupling axis 11 in order to ensure that the spray nozzle 3points in an appropriate direction.

In the embodiment shown, the first end 1 a of the tubular element 1 isconnected to the second end 1 b via an intermediate zone 13 that is bentor articulated.

The. rotary coupling 11 shown in detail in FIGS. 1B and 2B isconstituted by a valve-forming bore having a cylindrical cavity 21,fitted to the pushbutton 2, and communicating with said internaldelivery duct 20 via an ejection orifice 20 a which in this case opensout laterally into the cavity 21.

The second end 1 b of the tubular element 1 is engaged in touching androtary manner inside the cavity 21, thereby closing the orifice 20 a inleaktight manner as shown in FIG. 1B.

Nevertheless, the second end 1 b of the tubular element 1 is provided inits side wall with means for opening the orifice 20 a.

The opening means is constituted by a discontinuity 10 in the wall ofthe element 1 leaving a lateral passage 21 a inside the cavity 21through which the liquid pharmaceutical can pass.

In this case, the cavity 21 is defined by the wall of a cylindricalspout 24 projecting from a front side wall of the pushbutton 2.

The cavity 21 contains an axial rod 22 secured to its end wall 23 forengaging inside the second end 1 b of the tubular element 1 whileleaving an intermediate space 21 c for transferring the liquidpharmaceutical towards the nozzle 3. The rod 22 serves in particular toreduce the amount of dead volume inside the endpiece and the number ofpriming strokes necessary in order to obtain a first jet of spray.

The axis of the rod 22 coincides in this case with the axis of thecavity 21 and with the axis of rotation of the tubular element 1.

The length of the tubular element 1 that is engaged in the cavity 21 isdetermined in such a manner as to leave an empty space 21 b between theend wall 23 of said cavity and the upstream longitudinal edge of thesecond end 1 b.

In the position of FIG. 2B relating to the embodiment of FIG. 3, theempty space 21 b in the open position allows the pharmaceutical comingfrom the orifice 20 a to penetrate via the lateral passage 21 a into thetubular element 1, as shown by the arrows.

The second end 1 b of the tubular element is provided in the embodimentsof FIGS. 1A and 2A with an outer coaxial sleeve 12 co-operating with thewall of the second end 1 b to define an intermediate space 14 in whichthe spout 24 of the pushbutton 2 is received with a small amount ofradial tightness.

The wall of the spout 24 carries a peripheral ring 24 a forco-operating, possibly by releasable snap-fastening, with a groove 12 aof complementary profile formed in the wall of the tubular element, andin this case of the sleeve 12, so as to ensure that the second end 1 bis retained in the cavity 21 and is properly positioned therein.

The relative locations of the ring 24 a and of the groove 12 s aredetermined as a function of the respective lengths of the second end 1 band of the cavity 21, in particular so as to leave the space 21 b at theend of the cavity empty.

The orifice 20 a of the delivery duct 20 is closed in leaktight mannerin this case by the first end 1 a of the tubular element 1 being pointeddownwards (FIGS. 1A and 1B).

Nevertheless, it is possible to provide a plurality of angular positionsfor closure.

The tubular element 1 and the pushbutton 2 have snap-fastening means(not shown) suitable for co-operating so as to be easily releasable, inorder to position and lock the second end 1 b so that it is preventedfrom rotating away from an angular closure position.

This co-operation is preferably accompanied by a click informing theuser that the proper closure position has been reached.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1B, 2B, and 3, the means for openingthe delivery duct 20 is constituted by a discontinuity 10 in the form ofthe wall of the tubular element 1 being of reduced thickness. Thisreduced thickness occupies an angular fraction α.

In the embodiment shown in section in FIG. 4, the discontinuity 10 is inthe form of a gap made either directly by molding or else by cuttingmaterial away from an angular fraction a of the wall of the tubularelement

What is claimed is:
 1. An endpiece for dispensing liquid pharmaceuticalscontained in a receptacle, comprising an opening device arranged to opena tubular element (1) provided at a free first end (1 a) with a spraynozzle (3) and at a second end (1 b) with a rotary coupling (11)providing a connection with an internal delivery duct (20) of apushbutton (2) arranged to fit onto a top of a tapping member mounted onsaid receptacle, said rotary coupling (11) comprising a core having acylindrical cavity (21) fitted to said pushbutton (2) and incommunication with the internal delivery duct (20) and in which thesecond end (1 b) of the tubular element (1) is engaged in a touching androtary manner, said second end being provided with an opening devicearranged to open said duct (20), said cylindrical cavity (21) containingan axial rod (22) secured to the pushbutton (2) in a manner so that saidrod is engaged inside the second end (1 b) of said tubular element (1)while leaving an intermediate space (21 c) through which apharmaceutical may be transferred while reducing the dead volume.
 2. Theendpiece according to claim 1, wherein said internal delivery duct (20)opens out laterally into said cavity (21) via an ejection orifice (20a).
 3. The endpiece according to claim 1, wherein the tubular element(1) and the pushbutton (2) comprise snap-fastening members arranged toreleasably cooperate to position the second end (1 b) in an angularposition in which it closes the delivery duct (20).
 4. The endpieceaccording to claim 1, wherein said cavity (21) is defined by the wall ofa cylindrical spout (24) projecting from the side wall of the pushbutton(2).
 5. The endpiece according to claim 4, wherein the wall of saidspout (24) carries a peripheral ring (24 a) for co-operating bysnap-fastening in a groove (12 a) of a complementary profile formed inthe wall of the tubular element (1) to ensure that the second end (1 b)of the tubular element is properly positioned and held in said cavity(21).
 6. The endpiece according to claim 4, wherein the second end (1 b)of the tubular element (1) is provided with an outer coaxial sleeve (12)defining an intermediate space (14) in which the cylindrical spout (24)of the pushbutton (2) is received.
 7. The endpiece according to claim 1,wherein said opening device includes a discontinuity (10) in the wall ofthe second endpiece (1 b) of the tubular element (1) leaving a lateralpassage (21 a) for liquid pharmaceutical.
 8. The endpiece according toclaim 7, wherein said discontinuity (10) is in the form of a gap formedover an angular fraction (α) of the wall of the tubular element (1). 9.The endpiece according to claim 7, wherein said discontinuity (10) is inthe form of a reduction in wall thickness formed over an angularfraction (α) of the wall of the tubular element (1).
 10. The endpieceaccording to claim 1, wherein said tubular element (1) includes anintermediate zone (13) that is bent or articulated.
 11. The endpieceaccording to claim 10, wherein a position in which the internal deliveryduct (20) is closed corresponds to the first end (1 a) of the tubularelement (1) being pointed downwards.
 12. The endpiece according to claim1, wherein the length of the tubular element (1) engaged in saidcylindrical cavity (21) is determined in such a manner so as to leave anempty space (21 b) between the end wall (23) of said cavity (21) and thelongitudinal edge of said second end (1 b).